This invention relates to devices for developing a proper golf swing, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for exercising and training both a putting stroke and a full swing.
It is important for a golfer to properly "warm up" before playing a round and to keep "warm" during a round in which play has been interrupted. Proper warm-up helps to improve scores and to reduce the risk of injury. Between rounds, particularly when playing infrequently, it is also helpful to continue to exercise and train the muscles used in making the various golf strokes.
One common method of speeding up the warm-up process and exercising the muscles used in making a full swing was to place a weight on the club and take a number of easy warm up swings. Extra weight was usually supplied by a "donut" of heavy material that slid onto the shaft and rested against the club head. Although the weighted "donut" was easily portable and could be used on the course or at home, the added weight near the club head changed the overall characteristics of the club being used and thus was not suited for developing a proper swing.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,353,556 and 2,858,133, both to Self, show devices specifically adapted for training a putting stroke. The '133 patent included an elongated base with an elongated elastic band attached at one end to one end of the base. The base was adapted to be fixed on a particular surface and a loop at the free end of the elastic band was adapted to slip onto the putter shaft just above the club head. One practiced and trained his or her putting stroke by simply making a normal stroke over the base member against the tension provided by the elastic band.
The '556 patent included a flexible alignment band adapted to be stretched between two points and secured to form a line, and either a single elastic tensioning band or two separate tensioning bands. Each tensioning band of the two tension band version included a loop adapted to slip onto the head of the putter and was also adapted to be secured at one of the end points of the alignment band. The tensioning band of the single band version included a single loop formed at its middle for slipping onto the putter head and connectors at each end for connecting to the end points of the alignment band. The elastic tensioning band or bands provided an exercising force on the head of the putter as one made a normal stroke along the alignment band. This exercising force along the alignment band helped exercise the muscles used in putting and helped train the muscles to develop the putting stroke.
There were, however, several problems with the devices shown in the '556 and '133 patents. The device shown in the '133 patent was not easily portable due to the elongated base member, and could not be used on the golf course. Also, the exercising force produced by the elastic band was applied just above the club head and caused an excessive pivoting force tending to pivot the club in the user's hands as the stroke was made. Similarly, the loop connection shown in the '556 patent required that the force be applied either just above the club head or actually on the club head. This latter connection not only caused the pivoting movement at the hands, but also tended to rotate the club shaft about its longitudinal axis as the stroke was made. Also, none of the devices disclosed in these patents were suited for exercising and training a full swing. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a golf swing exercising and training apparatus and method adapted to overcome the problems discussed above and others associated with exercising and training the muscles used in making a golf swing or stroke.